Hebe plant named ‘HM150203’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HM150203’ that is characterized by its consistently healthy plants that have a low susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, its compact plant habit, its leaves that are small in size, its early flowering season, its flowers that are lavender in color, and its floriferous blooming habit.

Botanical classification: Hebe hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘HM150203’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO A RELATED APPLICATION

This application is related to a European plant breeders' rights application filed on Aug. 3, 2018, application No. 2018/2035. The Applicant received the information for the Plant breeders' rights application directly from the Inventor.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe, botanically of hybrid origin, known as Hebe ‘HM150203’, and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘HM150203’. ‘HM150203’ is an evergreen shrub grown for use as a container plant and as a landscape shrub.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. The goal of the breeding program is to select new cultivars of Hebe with improved plant health, compact plant habits, small leaves, abundant flowering, and self-cleaning flowers. The new cultivar arose from a cross made in August 2014 between unpatented proprietary plants from the Inventor's breeding program; reference no. H14-010 as the female parent and ref no. H13-005 as the male parent. The Inventor selected ‘HM150203’ in August 2015 as a single unique plant amongst the seedlings that resulted from the above cross.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings in August 2015 by the Inventor in Wezep, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings and tissue culture using meristematic tissue has determined the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar, which in combination distinguish ‘HM150203’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Hebe.

-   1. ‘HM150203’ exhibits consistently healthy plants that have a low     susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew. -   2. ‘HM150203’ exhibits a compact plant habit. -   3. ‘HM150203’ exhibits leaves that are small in size. -   4. ‘HM150203’ exhibits an early flowering season. -   5. ‘HM150203’ exhibits flowers that are lavender in color. -   6. ‘HM150203’ exhibits a floriferous blooming habit.

The female parent of ‘HM150203’ differs from ‘HM150203’ in having a less compact plant habit, flowers that are lighter lavender in color, a shorter flowering period, and in being less floriferous. The male parent of ‘HM150203’ differs from ‘HM150203’ in having more susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, a more vigorous growth habit, flowers that are lighter in color, and a taller plant height. ‘HM150203’ can be most closely compared to the cultivars ‘Victorious’ and ‘Mohawk’ (both un-patented). ‘Victorious’ is similar to ‘HM150203’ in flower and foliage color. ‘Victorious’ differs from ‘HM150203’ in having a less compact plant shape. ‘Mohawk’ is similar to ‘HM150203’ in having a floriferous blooming habit and self-cleaning flowers. ‘Mohawk’ differs from ‘HM150203’ in having more susceptibility to leaf spot disease and downy mildew, inflorescences that are slightly longer (more stretched) and more pointed in shape, leaves that are lighter green in color, and flowers that are darker in color.

STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR

The Applicant asserts that no publications or advertisements relating to sales, offers for sale, or public distribution occurred more than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application. Any information about the claimed plant would have been obtained from a direct or indirect disclosure from the Inventor. The Applicant claims a prior art exemption under 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(1) for disclosures and/or sales that fall within a one-year grace period to the filing date. Disclosures include website listings by All-Blooms and Floraxchange.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying color photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Hebe. The photographs were taken of a 7-month-old plant of ‘HM150203’ as grown outdoors in a 12-cm container in Wezep, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a side view of ‘HM150203’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences and foliage of ‘HM150203’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Hebe.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 7-month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 12-cm containers in Wezep, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—An average of 5 weeks from summer into             autumn in The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Evergreen shrub.         -   Plant habit.—Compact.         -   Height and spread.—Average of 19.4 cm in height (soil level             to top of foliar plane), 20.4 cm (soil level to top of             floral plane) and 27.9 cm in spread, an average of 60 cm in             height and spread in the landscape.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A. Zone 8.         -   Diseases and pests.—Low susceptibility to leaf spot disease             (Septoria veronicae) and downy mildew (Perenospora ssp.), no             susceptibility or resistance to pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous to slightly fleshy.         -   Propagation.—Softwood stem cuttings and tissue culture.         -   Root development.—3 to 4 weeks to initiate roots and 10             weeks to produce a young rooted plant.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Branch description:     -   -   Branch size.—Lateral branches are an average of 12.5 cm in             length and 3 mm in width.         -   Branch shape.—Round.         -   Branch color.—Young; 177B, lower side of stems N148B,             mature; 177A and N199B.         -   Branch surface.—Moderately glossy, densely covered with very             short glandular hairs, 0.1 mm in length, matches surface             color.         -   Branch strength.—Strong.         -   Internode length.—Average of 1.5 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Held in an average angle of 30° to             vertical, average of 20 primary branches, 2 secondary             branches. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Narrow ovate to oblong, very slightly carinate.         -   Leaf division.—Single.         -   Leaf base.—Cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Shallow retuse.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate; often with 3 main veins visible,             upper surface; 147B, lower surface; 148B.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, very slightly undulate.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces smooth, glabrous, non-rugose,             very slightly glossy.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 137A, young lower surface;             a blend of 144A and 146B, mature upper surface; NN137B,             mature lower surface; 147B.         -   Leaf number.—Average of 14 per lateral branch 12 cm in             length.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 2.6 cm in length and 1.25 cm in             width. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Raceme.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 6 cm in height and 2 cm in             width.         -   Inflorescence lastingness.—About 7 days, self-cleaning.         -   Flower shape.—Campanulate.         -   Flower fragrance.—None.         -   Flower quantity.—Average 50 florets per inflorescence, 2,000             flowers per plant, 8,000 flowers and flower buds per plant.         -   Flower arrangement.—Axillary racemes.         -   Flower aspect.—Outward.         -   Flower size.—Average of 7 mm in height, 6 mm in diameter, 7             mm in depth, throat 1 mm in diameter, flower tube 3 mm in             length, flower tube 1.5 mm in diameter.         -   Peduncles.—Strong strength, 5.2 cm in length and about 1.25             mm in diameter, 152A to 152B in color, held at about a 45°             angle to lateral branch, surface is very slightly glossy and             densely covered with very short glandular hairs; an average             of 0.1 mm in length, color matches surface color.         -   Pedicels.—Moderately strong strength, average of 2.5 mm in             length and 0.5 mm in diameter, held at about a 45° angle to             peduncle, 146C in color, surface is very matte and densely             covered with very short glandular hairs; an average of 0.1             mm in length, matches surface color.         -   Flower buds.—Narrow elliptic, 4 mm in length and 1.5 mm in             diameter, color; 155C to 155D, base 85B, immature calyx             138B, surface is matte, smooth and glabrous.         -   Calyx.—Rotate-shaped, average of 2 mm in length, 2.25 mm in             diameter.         -   Sepals.—4, 1 whorl, 2 mm in length, 0.8 mm in width,             elliptic in shape, entire margins, arrangement; rotate,             acute tip, base cuneate and fused, surfaces dull and smooth,             color: when opening and fully open upper and lower surface;             143C.         -   Petals.—Average 4, 1 whorl, obovate in shape, lower 50%, of             base fused, about 6 mm in length and 2.5 mm in width, entire             and slightly concave margins, apex obtuse, upper and lower             surface is smooth and glabrous, non-rugose, both surfaces             very slightly glossy, color: upper surface when opening and             fully open; N88D, lower surface when opening; 91D, lower             surface when fully open; 91D, margins 86C to 86D, throat             N88D, tube 85C.         -   Floral bracts.—A single bract is placed below each             individual flower, narrow obovate in shape, tip acute,             cuneate base, 2.25 mm in length, 1 mm in width, both             surfaces glabrous and 138B in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 5.5 mm in length, stigma; club-shaped,             5 mm in length, N77B in color, style; 5 mm in length and             NN155C in color, ovary; 143A in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens: 2, anthers; oblong in shape, 1 mm in             length, 0.5 mm in width and 160C in color, filaments; 5 mm             in length, color; N88D, base N155A, pollen; none observed.         -   Fruit and seed.—None observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Hebe plant named ‘HM150203’ as herein illustrated and described. 